Pigeons Spotted Eating Cai Png Dishes in Geylang When Stallholders Aren’t Around

Over the years, Cai Png has become a staple of Singaporean cuisine.

Cheap, tasty, and varied, it’s the go-to stall when we can’t decide what the heck to eat.

Just like a Nokia phone, it may not be the most attractive, but it’s hearty and reliable.

Now, it turns out that Singaporeans aren’t the only fans of this beloved stall. Some animals want a little taste too.

Pigeons Spotted Eating Cai Png Dishes in Geylang When Stallholders Aren’t Around

A video of two pigeons feasting on dishes at a Cai Png stall made the rounds on social media recently, causing residents all across the nation to rethink their lunch choices.

The video was uploaded to the Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Tuesday (20 Oct).

According to the poster, the incident occurred at Yong Li Eating House, a coffee shop located near Lorong 15 Geylang.

In the 23-second video, two black pigeons can be seen pecking hungrily at some dishes at a Cai Png stall.

The stall was left unattended, as the owners were nowhere to be seen.

The video starts out with one of the pigeons feasting on what appears to be fried pork, a delicious dish that many of us have enjoyed from time to time.

Meanwhile, his little friend pecks away at some kway teow, though he’s not as carefree as the ravenous pork-eater beside him.

While they were initially indifferent to the cameraperson’s presence, they quickly flew away the moment he got close to them.

Netizens Grossed Out

Netizens, understandably, were revolted by what they saw.

One commenter, however, didn’t see the big deal, and thought netizens should “get over it”.

Another netizen pointed out something to us that no one had considered: that the bird might have pooped on the food while gobbling it down.

So, do diners have any reason to worry?

Could Lead to Food Poisoning

In a word, yes.

If you eat food that has been contaminated by a pigeon, it could lead to food poisoning.

For one, pigeons transmit Campylobacter – an infectious illness – through pecking, meaning you could contract the disease if you happened to eat food pecked by a pigeon.

Secondly, salmonella – a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhoea – may also be present in some bird droppings.

But that’s not all.

According to the BBC, breathing dust or water droplets containing contaminated bird droppings can lead to several diseases, including a flu-like illness called psittacosis.

So, stall owners should never leave their stalls unattended, and if a pigeon manages to peck on their food, it should immediately be disposed of.

It’s unknown if the affected dishes were served to customers, but if they were, let’s hope that they don’t fall ill.

In the meantime, be on the lookout for hungry birds when you eat out. One second of negligence is all it takes for these little guys to swoop and gnaw on your tasty food.